Squeezed parents are struggling to pay for school uniforms after some schools barred pupils from wearing unbranded skirts, trousers and jumpers, instead insisting upon logoed items costing up to four times as much.
As millions of Britons brace for a difficult winter, some schools have been accused of disregarding statutory guidance to ensure uniforms are affordable, forcing parents and caregivers to dress children in “outrageously” expensive branded clothes.
A growing number of cash-strapped families are turning to second-hand school uniform charities for help meeting uniform-list requirements, with the cost of coats, shoes and PE kits adding to the strain.
Statutory guidance on school uniforms, published last November by the Department for Education (DfE), says that schools should limit the number of mandatory “branded” items featuring the establishment’s name or logo, to help families manage costs.
